So... I did it

98BlackSierra said:

I vote no valance. The 3/4 tons looks better without it for some reason, makes it look beefier.

Definitely a clean looking truck though.

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Jorge6.5 said:

Looks like the standard GM 14 bolt 10.5" ring gear full floating axle rear end. Pretty stout. However the factory G80 locker can be a weak spot if there beat on.

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SixSpeedSS said:

Agreed. 2500's look tougher without the valance. Also I peeled the 4x4 sticker off my truck pretty early on. Much cleaner looking without it. ALso the tailgate CHEVROLET foil/ugly thing.

I too find these trucks are much stiffer than a 1500, and never wanted to crank mine. My old 1500 was cranked all the way many years ago and still didn't ride stiffer than my 2500. I have 285s on mine with no crank. The inside of the pass side flare needed minor trimming (about 1/4" sliver IIRC).

That is not all correct. The light duty 2500s (came with the 9.5" ring gear 14bolt semi floater


2500 trucks use the 9.5" ring gear (which is basically the same as the 5 bolt 454SS diff, to which I will tell you from personal experience it will take plenty of abuse). 3500s use the 10.5" ringgear full floater.

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SixSpeedSS said:

Agreed. 2500's look tougher without the valance. Also I peeled the 4x4 sticker off my truck pretty early on. Much cleaner looking without it. ALso the tailgate CHEVROLET foil/ugly thing.

I too find these trucks are much stiffer than a 1500, and never wanted to crank mine. My old 1500 was cranked all the way many years ago and still didn't ride stiffer than my 2500. I have 285s on mine with no crank. The inside of the pass side flare needed minor trimming (about 1/4" sliver IIRC).



2500 trucks use the 9.5" ring gear (which is basically the same as the 5 bolt 454SS diff, to which I will tell you from personal experience it will take plenty of abuse). 3500s use the 10.5" ringgear full floater.

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Jorge6.5 said:

That information is incorrect. The light duty 2500s, under 8600lbs gvwr got the 9.5 ring gear 14 bolt semi floater. Half tons with the f44 option also got that same rear.

The op has a 2500 with the 8600lbs gvwr. I can clearly see he has the 10.5 full floater.

My 96 2500 diesel and 98 2500 big block both 8600lbs gvwr have the 14 bolt 10.5 ring gear full floater.

Please get your facts correct before posting misinformation.

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Portedfrankenstien said:

so I've never owned a 3/4 ton, and so I don't know what I have here... I've owned plenty of ten bolts, and twelve bolts. But someone give me some info on this guy, please...

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Jorge6.5 said:

That information is incorrect. The light duty 2500s, under 8600lbs gvwr got the 9.5 ring gear 14 bolt semi floater. Half tons with the f44 option also got that same rear.

The op has a 2500 with the 8600lbs gvwr. I can clearly see he has the 10.5 full floater.

My 96 2500 diesel and 98 2500 big block both 8600lbs gvwr have the 14 bolt 10.5 ring gear full floater.

Please get your facts correct before posting misinformation.

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SixSpeedSS said:

Maybe you want to check your own facts. From the photo above, you cannot tell if the diff is a full floater or a semi floater. 8600 gvw gmt400 trucks have semi floating axles with a standard flange where the wheel bolts on. This would make it a 9.5" ring gear inside the 14 bolt case. A full floating 14 bolt has giant hubs on the end of the axle shaft with a bolt in axle, indicating a 10.5" ring gear.

Light duty 1500 trucks came with an 8.5" GM 10 bolt unless the optional 14 bolt was ordered (F44). That would be either a 5 bollt axle flange (454SS) or a 6 bolt axle flange (K series). The basic housing and diff are the same as a 9.5" semi floater.

To determine if the the OP has a 10.5" diff, there would have to be a photo of the wheel hubs, with the center caps removed.

My 2500 8600lb truck has a 9.5" semi floater. My 454SS has a 9.5" semi floater. The Diff in the 454SS I rebuilt with an Eaton diff and Yukon gears.

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thz71 said:

No the axle pictured above is a full float 14 bolt

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